In recent years, the use of electronic maps and mapping applications has grown significantly. Such mapping applications may be executable at various types of user devices. Examples of such devices include, but are not limited to, an onboard navigation system in a vehicle, a dedicated portable Global Positioning System (GPS) device, or other type of mobile computing device, e.g., a smartphone. The displayed electronic maps often convey information related to roads, traffic, buildings, landmarks, terrain, and other geographic locations or regions of interest. Some electronic maps may be interactive, allowing users to view, for example, a digital map of a particular location (e.g., specific address, city, state, country, etc.) and the surrounding locations. Some mapping applications may also include route guidance features allowing users to receive route information or driving directions to a particular address based on each user's current geographic location, as derived through GPS or other location detecting means.
Interactive maps may also provide information about various points of interest (POIs) at or near a location selected or specified by a user. A POI may be, for example, a specific business, destination, or attraction that is useful or interesting to an individual or a group of individuals, or that the individual or the group may want to visit. By way of example, POIs on a map display may represent gas stations, rest areas, hotels, restaurants, museums, hospitals, historical sites in a specific geographic area, houses for sale, etc. A POI may also correspond to a movie theater showing a particular film, a restaurant that serves a specific type of food, such as pizza, etc.
Electronic maps, either interactive or non-interactive, may be used for planning or taking regular trips to the same location (e.g., daily commuting from home to work), new short-distance trips to unfamiliar locations, long-distance vacation road-trips, or any other type of travel. For example, a user may use an electronic mapping application executable at the user's device to input origin and destination locations and obtain routing directions from and to the locations. Mapping service providers also may track a user's location using GPS or other location detecting means coupled to a user's electronic device. Based on this location information, the electronic maps may provide users with real-time information, such as live traffic information and dynamic routing adjustments for a predetermined or prescribed route of travel.
In a conventional mapping or GPS-based navigation application, when a user deviates from a prescribed route, the application generally attempts to reroute the user back onto the same path heading to the final destination. In some cases, the user may not be interested in being immediately rerouted back onto the same path, and instead intends to stop at a point of interest located nearby for a particular reason including, for example, gas, food, lodging, coffee, rest, etc. For example, during a road trip, a user might intentionally take a highway off-ramp for a rest stop or other reason and be frustrated by a mapping service continually recommending that the user get right back on the highway. However, conventional mapping applications or services do not provide a way to identify such situations or assist the user by, for example, providing the user with helpful information related to possible points of interest that may be located near the user's current location, i.e., at the exit.